A Lady Rider’s Guide To Motorcycle Packing

Let’s admit it, shall we? Packing isn’t easy for everyone. Only the most prepared A-types have a go-bag always ready. The rest of us hem and haw over what to bring and wear. What if I need this? We might do that so I should bring X or maybe Y.

Motorcycle trips make it easy because you know you have limited space and can’t overpack. Motorcycle trips make it hard because you know you have limited space and the line seems to blur when deciding what is necessary and what is optional.

I’m writing to female riders and passengers as I am both. Also, I’m a recovering overpacker. I’ve adopted a minimalist mindset when packing for long distance trips with my husband riding two-up. I had to. I’m about to embark on my first long distance trip maneuvering my own bike. I decided it was time to form my own moto packing list, one that better suits my needs as a female rider.

Keep in mind that packing isn’t just about the physical volume you see (how big the luggage) but the weight limitations as listed by the manufacturer. When packing, whatever clothes you are wearing under your ATGATT counts. You also don’t need an outfit for every day of the ride.

Let me clarify, you do need some type of clothing to wear everyday but you don’t need a fashionista and different outfit for each day of the ride.

For a longer trip, launder using a local laundromat, utilize laundry services at a hotel or do-it-yourself using a Scrubba. If using a Scrubba, bring items that are quick-dry so that items are ready to be packed or worn the next day.

If you’re a low-maintenance kind of gal, kudos.

High-maintenance gals may need to come to Jesus. Condense as much as possible into smaller travel containers and bonus points for finding multi-purpose products. For example, most tinted CC or BB creams take care of moisturizer, sunblock and foundation. Campsuds can be used as both body wash and shampoo. Or challenge yourself to go low maintenance for the trip.

I keep my hair braided or pulled back under the helmet but you’re off the bike sometimes and may spend an extra day sightseeing, so the hair management products are optional and as needed. Consider dry shampoo, a hat or hair band.

Clean, comfortable clothes and underwear are the goal versus “best dressed” off the bike. Besides, you’re already awesome – you’re traveling by motorcycle and experiencing life in a different way!

If you’re riding your own bike with luggage, you’ll have more room than if riding two-up and sharing precious cargo space. You’ll be tempted to bring more than you need. Don’t. Admit it, you never quite wear everything you pack in your vacation suitcase. You don’t need as much as you think. Stick to essentials. Any extra room may be able to tote a have-to-have souvenir.

Sidenote: There’s something about luggage (and purses) that makes us want to fill them to capacity. We also tend to adapt to what we see. If you go from a 34 liter to a 52 liter top case, you’ll wonder how you survived before with the smaller case.

Lists are handy. This one is meant to be helpful … a way to organize what to pack and if nothing else, a way to think about what you need to bring versus what you think you need to bring.

Once you have the luggage volume and trip duration in mind, let’s start with the clothes:

You’ll want to use some kind of bag or compression sack to contain your items within the luggage. This makes it easier to transport your items from the bike to a hotel room if you want to leave the luggage mounted on the bike. It also organizes everything from spilling out when opening the luggage whether you choose to leave it on the bike or not.

If you’re riding solo, then you already know that there are bike essentials you need room for. Consult this list if you want to check yourself. If you’re camping, that list can be found here.

My husband and I have gotten better and better at condensing what we bring with every trip. Another tip I have to remind myself of every time: If you forget something, there’s a retail store out there somewhere that is more than happy to sell you what you need.

What Do My Fellow Female Riders Pack For A Long Distance Motorcycle Tour?

One size rarely fits all. Did I miss something above? What basics do you bring or would you suggest? Your input is invited. Post an article!

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Comments

For a 2 week trip, I take:
– a large ziplock bag full of granola bars. Often, we’re in the middle of nowhere at lunchtime, so just have a granola bar.
– quick-dry black polyester zip-off/convertible to shorts hiking pants-take less room and dry in an hour, and are decent enough in a dressier situation, and cool enough as shorts if walking in a hot place. I have also swam in the zipped off shorts since they are quick-dry.
– 1 tank top, 1 short-sleeve quick-dry sports top, 2 quick-dry long sleeve shirts (sometimes I take 3)
– 1 large t-shirt for sleeping, hiking, swimsuit coverup
– 2 pair of silk sock liners that I can wash every other day that dry in an hour; 1 pair motorcycle socks – rather than washing the motorcycle socks repeatedly, I just wear the liners under the big socks and wash the liners that dry quickly.
– 3 pair Ex Officio quick dry underwear. If I want to skip laundry one night, I can.
– I take a pair of all black minimal/barefoot shoes that take minimal room, are just 5 oz,. comfortable for walking/hiking and can pass for dressy enough in a nicer restaurant.
– CampSuds little bottle of concentrated liquid soap for doing laundry by hand, washing hands. Just need 1 drop.
– 1 Buff – tubular knitted headband/neck scarf for warmth or covering motorcycle hair or cold ears
– 1 quick-dry baseball hat
– Chapstick with sunscreen
– Earplugs
– Decongestant – sometimes my ears plug up and don’t unplug with elevation changes/wind
– I wear a Camelback hydration pack only about 1/3 full with an extension on the hose – when riding 2-up, we can sip water from it without removing helmets.
– 1 paper map that covers the whole area we’re riding – USA Map, or Western States Map, etc. so that I can see the ‘big picture’ for the whole day and the whole trip rather than just a little at a time.
– I print a detailed planned itinerary, then make notes on it as we go. Each night or morning, we re-check/re-evaluate the itinerary and decide whether our plan for the day is still reasonable after checking weather and things we want to see on the way, and if we’re staying in motels, we make a reservation for that night, noting the reservation on the printed itinerary. At the end of the trip, we make a printed photo album containing the mileage and notes with the itinerary.
– 1 thin book to read in case we take a day off for rain…if I can find one related to background or history of the area we’re traveling, that’s what I take so that we can talk about it as we ride. Next time, I might try to switch to an e-book on my phone.
– Wet wipes
– Ponytail rubber bands, wide-tooth comb, foldable brush, nail clippers, toothbrush, floss, q tips
– We have always taken sunscreen and bug repellent but haven’t used it..
– small pocket camera with wrist strap in case worn cross-shoulder over motorcycle gear.
– 1st aid kit, safety pins